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An aboriginal father and step-daughter – the latter of whom is the current Mrs. Universe – are among the first four teams announced today for the coming season of The Amazing Race Canada.

Crees from Enoch, Alta., Joel Ground, 42, is an auto mechanic. And his step-daughter Ashley Callingbull, 26, is one of the stars of the APTN series Blackstone, who used her summer hiatus from the show to take part in the $100,000 race across the country and (presumably) parts abroad.

Callingbull also devotes her time to motivational speaking, encouraging aboriginals to get out and vote.

“I feel like this is great opportunity to represent our people,” Ground said. “We are going after what we truly want and we’re not letting fear stop us from achieving the title of The Amazing Race Canada champions. It’s good for youth to see us breaking barriers, and being the first First Nations team on the show.”

The other three teams announced today include two former softball athletes and life-partners, Edmonton-based, Montreal-born twins whose family came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and two employees of a Windsor, Ont., Buffalo Wild Wings who are competing to raise money for a charity.

Toronto account executive Kristen McKenzie, 25, and lawyer Steph LeClair, 27, knew each other as children, but didn’t connect until years later when they were both in the U.S. on college softball scholarships.

The two say they were inspired by Meaghan Mikkelson and Natalie Spooner, the nearly-unstoppable athletes who ended up as runners-up in season 2 of The Amazing Race Canada.

“They were really intense but they still had fun,” LeClair said of the hockey players. “They were really good together, they were on it, they kicked butt and they never gave up.”

As it stands, no woman has yet been on The Amazing Race Canada winner’s podium, and that is a goal that women participants in this year’s race have noted.

Twins Rita and Yvette Yakibonge, 23, are recent university graduates who say they would use their winnings to help the single mother who raised them retire to the Congo. They speak English, French and the Congolese language Ingala.

And Windsor Buffalo Wild Wings servers Anthony Limbombe and Brandon Campeau, both 21, have earmarked their potential winnings as part of a fundraising drive for the medical expenses of a six-year-old girl named Zoe. Zoe, a Down syndrome child with a bone disease, is the niece of their restaurant manager.

CTV will be announcing the remaining six teams taking part in season 4 of The Amazing Race Canada through the week.

The season begins on CTV June 28 at 8 p.m. The number one show in the country, The Amazing Race Canada initially confined its competitions to Canada. It has travelled abroad the last two seasons to Hong Kong, France, India, Chile and Argentina.

The fourth season will again be hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery.